The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-05
A TRAP FOR PARNELLITES
THE TORIES BENT ON FORCING A
PUBLIC TRIAL.

Uncovering of the Whole Secret His
Possible-The Irish Members Bound
to Accept Nothing but Committee
of Inquiry.
LONDON, May 4.--Hon. w. Fl. Smith,
First Lord of the Treasury, announced in
the House of Commons this afternoon that
the government had resolved that
the allegation that the statement
by the London Times that Mr. Dillon
told a falsehood while denying in the House
| of Commons that papers utterances con-
corning his alleged relations with Sheridan,
the invncible, was breach of privilege,
was not sustained by precedent Contin-
uing, Mr.. Smith said it would be against
the dignity of the House to summon the
Times to the bar without previously in
quiring into the circumstances. Gentlemen
below the gangway, Mr. Smith added,
asked that select committee be constituted
to inquire forthwith into the allegations of
the Times.
THE PRACTICE OF THE HOUSE.
| The practice of the House had been to di-
vest itself as far as possible of judicial duty
| The government thought such a committee
as was asked for would be untitled to con-
| slider such grave questions as would have to
| be referred to it for decision. The govern
ment, feeling it to be their duty to endeavor
| to solve the question, had instructed the At
| toruey General, and such Others as he cared
to associate with him, to prosecute the
| Times for libel on Mr. Dillon, who was at
liberty to select such counsel as he saw fit.
/ In conclusion Mr.. Smith urged the House
to accept the course proposed.
CONDEMNED BY o'CoNNoR.
| T. p. O'Connor condemned the govern
ment's proposal. He said he commiserated
| the government over their humiliating and
degrading proposition. Their proposal was
| really for colluSive action at law, made by
| the valor of libel. Mr.. O'Connor here pro-
duced copy Of the Times containing the
libel on Mr.. Dillon. Flourishing it aloft, he
said: II purchased this copy of the Times
at one of the book stalls, owned by the Right
Hon. First Lord of the Treasury. 1t is he,
speaking for the government, who says 10
| breach of privilege was committed. Irish
cheers He is, therefore, deeply interested
as a party in the case against the editor of
! the Times. The two men ought to be in the
dock together. The Irish members reject
his proposal as unfair, unjust and unprece-
dented. The House of Commons ought not
to be taken in by collusive action"
ADD LOT OF CADs.
Here Edwin Delyle Conservative mem
ber for Middle Leicestershire, arose to a
point of order. He said he had heard
Charles Tanner, Home Rule member for
Middle Cork, say ''the Conservatives were
id lot of cads."
| Irish voiceS-"So you aren
| Speaker Peei-The clerk of the House
will please see that the words are taken
down.
Mr.. Tanner denied that he had used the
| 1 T. 81 Al.-A
| the Conservatives were lot of cads.
The Speaker said he must withnraw the
expression and apologize.
| Mr.. Tanner SAID he would do So
| Sir William Vernon Harcourt denounced
the governments proposal.
Sir Edward Clark, Solicitor General,
moved an amendment to the governments
| proposal to the effect that the House did not
| consider the Times statements concerning
Mr.. Dillon breach of privilege. Justify
| ing his action in Offering the amendment,
| Sir Edward declared that there was no
record of Parliament having committed a
man to custody for a breach of privilege
such as the action of the Times was now
alleged to be- He added that he and the
Attorney General were responsible for the
advice on which the government had acted.
THE LEGAL POINTS
He proposed to confine himself to the legal
tics He then quoten precedents to show
| that the House was not the proper tribunal
| to deal with such matters, nor had any con-
| tempt of the House been exhibited such as
had constituted an offense in the previous
\ case where breach of privilege had been
committed. The course of the prosecution,
| the Solicitor General said, would be left to
such persons as the Irish members might
| nominate, both counsel and solicitors. If
the government were asked to appoint them
| they would interpoSe no objection. In con-
clusion, Sir Edward slightly modified his
amendment, making it read that the House
declines to treat the Times publication as a
breach of privilege.
SIR RUssELL'S POSITION.
Sir Charles Russell Liberal, contended
| that as Mr.. Dillon's conduct in the House
had been attacked, that fact constituted
breach of privilege, and that it was the duty
of the House, and primarily incumbent ON
| the government leader of the House, Mr..
| Smith, to take action to protect the honor of
| its members The course proposed by the
governments motion was an evasion of this
duty. The question was not so much
whether the committee should be appointed
as whether the House intended to pass by
imputation against Mr.. Dillon and say be-
fore the world that, fragrant az the offense
was, it was not of sucn q character as con-
stituted breach of privilege.
Lord Randolph Churchill admitted that
the case pointed to pIima facial breach of
privilege, but he thought the House was
not refusing judicial inquiry. The only diff
ference was as to the form of the inquiry to
be adopted.
ORDINARY LAW SUFFICIENT.
He regarded a resort to the ordinary tri-
bunal of the law one that would afford far
better remedy than could be obtained from
action by the House He deprecated the at
tack made by Mr.. O'Conner on the govern
ment leader in the House. No one outside of
Mr. O'Connor's own circle could be expected
TO sympathize with him in such an assault.
10 was utterly uniustifable from the very
language used. Mr.. Smith could well afford
to ignore the assault [Cheers.l IL the
government leader in the House was charged
with not taking primary action on behalf of
the House for breach of privilege com
mitted against one of its members, he
could retort that il was the leader Of the op-
position who ought to have been
expected to- protect his friends having
taken the lead outside Of the House, in an
agitation for the repeal of the Union.
lCheers.1
GLADSTONE DENIES IT.
Mr.. Gladstone--I emphatically repudiate
the assertion Of his lordship.
Lord Randolph Churchill responded: SIT
is true, however. He then proceeded TO argue
that it would be unwise for the House 20 go
hax-otd Tho action fl.a bsH .,t.f,